1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of lifebeat monitoring between a first and a second communication device, a computer program product or a communication device that is configured to perform lifebeat monitoring for another communication device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many communication processes in which two communication partners are in contact with each other, it is essential to establish whether the connection between the communication partners still exists or has been lost. Possible reasons for the interruption of a connection are, for example, the failure of one of the communication partners or a fault in the actual connection between the two communication partners.
In this connection, it is possible with, for example, the relevant International Standards Organization (ISO) protocol (e.g., ISO 8073) for communication partners to send each other lifebeats in the form of IDLE telegrams, which have to be answered by the communication partner. In other words, a first communication partner sends a corresponding lifebeat to the second communication partner who, following receipt of this lifebeat, confirms its receipt with a corresponding positive acknowledgement (ACK). In the event that the first communication partner does not receive a corresponding acknowledgement from the second communication partner, after a predefined time without acknowledgement, the first communication partner sends the IDLE telegram again and awaits, once again, an acknowledgement. After IDLE telegrams have been sent a predefined number of times without being acknowledged, an interruption in the connection is found to exist.